Records broken at Wheatfield's first powerlifting competition

Wheatfield's first ever powerlifting competition probably won't be its
last, judging by the warm reception at last month's championship.

St. James Church on Niagara Road in Bergholz was the venue for the 2014 New
York State Powerlifting Championships held Saturday, Nov. 15. In previous
years, the meet was held in Niagara Falls.

"The turnout was much bigger than I ever expected," said event organizer
and USPA New York State Chairman Adam Ferchen. He said there were 85 lifters,
and "probably at least double that in spectators."

Ferchen said there were multiple state and national records set at the
competition, including a deadlift record broken by Niagara Falls native Paul
Emmick, who began competing five years ago. The November competition was his
first in a year, after he had some injuries.

But for Emmick, the lift was about more than the record, or getting back
into the sport.

"That was a very, very important lift for me," he said. "I had an uncle who
had passed from cancer last year who served in the Navy in Vietnam. He was a
very big, very strong guy, and through the time that I'd been training he
always said, 'when I was in the Navy, I could deadlift 750 pounds. And you
might think you're strong, but until you can lift more than I lifted, you're
not that strong.' "

"Even on the night that he passed, he didn't let me forget that," Emmick
said. "(He said) 'I know you're training, I know you have competitions; don't
forget: I lifted 750 pounds. You know what you have to do.'

"So this 755, on top of breaking the record, which was great - that was a
lift that was dedicated to my uncle. It was the most important lift I've ever
done."

Emmick said he was grateful to both his friends and the people who spotted
him at the meet, because without them, he wasn't sure he could have done it.

All of the lifters at the championship were from the Western New York
region. There were only slightly more men than women lifters, with about 45 of
the former and 40 of the latter. There were six judges, including Ferchen.
Another of those judges was Dennis Brochey, Town of Lewiston supervisor and
Ferchen's predecessor as USPA chairman.

"I think he (Adam) did very well," Brochey said, adding that he liked the
new venue. He also said he was surprised at how many women the competition
drew, as his own competition, the annual Red Brick Bench Press to support
military families, usually sees about 120 men and only about 20 women
competitors.

One of the women at the championships was Gina Bataglia from Niagara Falls.
She got involved, both in powerlifting and the state championships, because
Ferchen is her personal trainer. She said she thought the event went well, even
if she didn't perform as well as she'd have liked.

"I was close to what I wanted to be, but I didn't quite get there,"
Bataglia said. Of course, there's always next time, and she said she planned on
joining Ferchen's next competition as well.

"I think Adam put on a really good event, and I'm excited for the next
one," she said.

For his next competition, Ferchen said he might make some changes. The
state championships began at 10 a.m. and lasted until about 9 p.m., which was
longer than most meets.

"It was a very long day for everyone; that was the only piece of negative
feedback I've gotten," Ferchen said. For the next meet, he's considering
splitting the day into men's and women's sessions, because "that way, not
everyone has to be there all day long, other than myself."

Ferchen said his next competition will be an ironman, or deadlift and bench
press, competition. He hopes to run it in February, possibly at St. James
again. With the addition of the Red Brick Bench Press, which Brochey said he
plans to continue running, the region could be looking at two powerlifting
competitions in one month next year.

While it could be tiring for lifters, it would certainly draw some
attention to the sport in the area, which is one of the goals Ferchen set out
to accomplish when he became state chairman.

"I'm excited and very happy to see how the powerlifting community is
growing in New York state," he said.